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Big shifts in summer heat tied to death risk

Harvard study cites the elderly

By David Abel

 |  Globe Staff  

  April 10, 2012

Large daily temperature swings during the summer may shorten life expectancy for elderly people with chronic medical conditions, potentially causing thousands of deaths each year, a study by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health has found. While extended heat waves are known to be dangerous for senior citizens, the new research found that big changes in average temperatures from one day to the next can be harmful too.

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